classic tt / manx gp [part one]

well, where do i start? the early morning ride over the derbyshire / staffordshire hill's? standing in the kitchen as carol kirkwood tells us 'you will be really unlucky to get a shower today' as the rain lashes down and i change my black visor for a clear one on my arai, within ten miles after setting off i'm getting the creeping, damp, crotch feeling as the rain wick's up my leather jeans and heads directly to 'little tim' dangerous is a yard off my rear wheel as normal and the ducati's are struggling to behave as we tip-toe our way through to ashbourne and the long, boring run through to leek, the road is great, it's the combination of 'fifty' limit, speed camera's and nose-to-tail truck's that make it a frustrating ride, into leek and a great run at the twisty's past rudyard lake, yep, that's better, onto the motorway and an accident slows our progress again, filtering through three lanes of stationary bank holiday traffic, three cars parked up on the central reservation as they swap details, out the other side and the planned stop at mcdonald's for a coffee is scrapped as we get lost in liverpool and just make the ferry in time, bikes lashed against the rail, we make our way upstairs to rendevous with chalky and sweary mick, get a plate of scrambled egg and toast, java and settle down for the three hour trip to the island.............